Islamophobia Watch

Daniel Pipes poses the question. His conclusion:

"... indigenous Europeans could yet rediscover their Christian faith, make more babies and again cherish their heritage. Yes, they could encourage non-Muslim immigration and acculturate Muslims already living in Europe. Yes, Muslims could accept historic Europe. But not only are such developments not under way, their prospects are dim. In particular, young Muslims are cultivating grievances and nursing ambitions at odds with their neighbours.

"One can virtually dismiss from consideration the prospect of Muslims accepting historic Europe and integrating within it. American columnist Dennis Prager agrees: 'It is difficult to imagine any other future scenario for western Europe than its becoming Islamicised or having a civil war.' But which of those two remaining paths will the continent take? Forecasting is difficult because the crisis has not yet struck. But it may not be far off. Within a decade, perhaps, the continent's evolution will become clear as the Europe-Muslim relationship takes shape."

The Australian, 15 April 2008

See also Pipes' article at Front Page Magazine, where he tells us that "Islamism represents the world's leading anti-democratic force" and that "Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Al-Jazeera television's imam, argues that elections are heretical".

"Some analysts of Islam in Western Europe argue that the continent cannot escape its Eurabian fate; that the trend lines of the past half-century will continue until Muslims become a majority population and Islamic law (the Shari'a) reigns.

"I disagree, arguing that there is another route the continent might take, one of resistance to Islamification and a reassertion of traditional ways. Indigenous Europeans – who make up 95 percent of the population – can insist on their historic customs and mores. Were they to do so, nothing would be in their way and no one could stop them.

"Indeed, Europeans are visibly showing signs of impatience with creeping Shari'a. The legislation in France that prohibits hijabs from public school classrooms signals the reluctance to accept Islamic ways, as are related efforts to ban burkas, mosques and minarets. Throughout Western Europe, anti-immigrant parties are generally increasing in popularity."

Daniel Pipes in the Jerusalem Post, 2 April 2008

Pipes names Dutch far-right racist Geert Wilders as one of the "staunch individuals" who "may represent the vanguard of a Christian/liberal reassertion of European values" and who could "provide a crucial boost for those intent on maintaining the continent's historic identity".

"Westerners opposed to the application of the Islamic law (the Shari'a) watch with dismay as it goes from strength to strength in their countries – harems increasingly accepted, a church leader endorsing Islamic law, a judge referring to the Koran, clandestine Muslim courts meting out justice. What can be done to stop the progress of this medieval legal system so deeply at odds with modern life, one that oppresses women and turns non-Muslims into second-class citizens?"

Daniel Pipes poses the question.

Jerusalem Post, 20 February 2008

Muslim fanatics in Scotland could be radicalised within weeks, the country's terror czar has warned. And John Corrigan stressed that the exact potential of the threat is constantly changing and can never be quantified. He spoke to Scotland on Sunday just six weeks before retiring as Scotland's counter-terrorism chief, having spent four years in the post overseeing such operations as the arrest of Mohammed Atif Siddique and the inquiry into the would-be car bombing of Glasgow Airport.

Recent research has shown the time it takes for an individual to show an initial interest in fundamentalism to actively taking part in an attack is reducing all the time. Several years ago, experts figured that period may be up to 18 months but now with perceived threats to Muslims being featured virtually daily on our television screens, that timescale is down to just a few weeks.

Scotland on Sunday, 3 February 2008

Corrigan would appear to be inspired by Daniel Pipes' invention, the "Sudden Jihad Syndrome".

Danny Postel analyses the politics of the Iranian organisation the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) – "an Islamist-Stalinist cult that was on Saddam's payroll and the State Department considers a terrorist organization" – and points out that it has some unlikely allies:

"Here you have virtually everything the Right claims to oppose all rolled into one: Islamism, Marxism, terrorism, and Saddam. Naturally, then, neoconservatives would utterly deplore the MEK and everything it stands for, right? The MEK would in fact make an ideal target for Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week and Terrorism Awareness efforts, no?

"Well, no. At least one of the carnival's acts, it turns out, is rather fond of the Islamo-Stalinist-terrorist cult group, and has repeatedly argued for the removal of the MEK from the State Department's list of terrorist groups and indeed urged the U.S. government to embrace it. Daniel Pipes, who will be speaking at Tufts on October 24th as part of the Horowitz high jinks, has made the MEK a recurring theme in his writings going back several years."

AlterNet, 23 October 2007

Clearly, "Islamo-Fascist terror groups" are OK with Pipes so long as their Islamo-Fascist terrorist activities are aimed at the government of Iran.

"Pipes is quick to parrot that radical Islam is the problem and moderate Islam is the solution. That is all very well – until you realize that his raison d'etre is to claim that every Muslim individual or group of mentionable influence is a conveyer of radical Islam – particularly if they are outspoken against the illegal Israeli occupation. On the other hand, everyone upon whom he bestows the 'moderate' badge is either a lone wolf with no credibility in the Muslim mainstream, an apologist for Pipes’ own radical views on the Middle East, or both."

Ahmed Rehab takes on Daniel Pipes at Media Monitors Network, 10 September 2007

Concerns have been raised over whether a groundbreaking Arabic-themed school in New York, due to open next week, will be a model of coexistence or a conduit for extremism. Education Department officials have said that religion will not be taught at the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which is set to open on September 4 and will focus on Arab language and Arabic culture.

Such specialised schools are common in New York, and the city's Department of Education has continued to insist that the school will be no different from Chinese- or Hispanic-oriented public schools. But others fear that the academy may teach students extremist Islamic beliefs.

One local politician, State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, alleged that the school had been endorsed by "radical" groups. "Establishment of an Arab school is a misguided and dangerous idea," the Democratic politician – who represents a large Jewish constituency – told the JC. "It will not, as suggested, be a hope for peace; it is a blueprint for anti-Israel and anti-US extremism."

Conservative commentator Daniel Pipes has slammed the project as "a Public Jihad School" where "imbuing pan-Arabism and anti-Zionism, proselytising for Islam, and promoting Islamist sympathies will predictably make up the school's true curriculum".

Supporters of the school – named after a Lebanese Christian poet – have vigorously denied such allegations. In a recent demonstration supporting the school, a mix of Jews and Muslims carried signs that read "NYC needs multi-cultural education" and "The Torah and the Koran both teach peace". Speaking at the rally, Rabbi Michael Feinberg of the Greater NY Labour-Religion Coalition said elected officials should come forward to defend the school.

Jewish Chronicle, 31 August 2007

Daniel Pipes rejects calls by Geert Wilders, Roberto Calderoli et al for a ban on the Qur'an and/or Islam. Can't see that going down too well with some of his admirers. But fear not, Daniel hasn't succumbed to the disease of liberal appeasement. He writes: "More practical and focused would be to reduce the threats of jihad and Shari'a by banning Islamist interpretations of the Koran, as well as Islamism and Islamists."

Jerusalem Post, 29 August 2007

"... burqas and niqabs should be banned in all public spaces because they present a security risk. Anyone might lurk under those shrouds – female or male, Muslim or non-Muslim, decent citizen or criminal – with who knows what evil purposes....

"Expressing the universal fear aroused by these garments, a recent Pakistani horror film, Zibahkhana (meaning 'slaughterhouse' in Urdu) includes a sadistic cannibalistic killer figure dubbed 'Burqa Man'.... The time has come everywhere to ban from public places these hideous, unhealthy, socially divisive, terrorist-enabling and criminal-friendly garments."

Daniel Pipes in The Bulletin, 31 July 2007

"When I suggest that radical Muslims are the problem and that moderate Muslims are the solution, the nearly inevitable retort from most people is: 'What moderate Muslims?' ... My response: Moderate Muslims do exist. But of course, they constitute a very small movement when compared to the Islamist onslaught."

Daniel Pipes in the New York Sun, 17 April 2007

Given that Pipes categorises the Progressive Muslim Union as "really another Islamist organization – but with a hip tone", you can see that there are very few Muslims who qualify for the appellation "moderate", as far as Pipes is concerned.